From DE 10 2012 107 426 A1, a headlamp for vehicles with a light source and an optical unit for generating a specified light distribution pattern is known. The optical unit comprises a lens with a light inlet-side surface and a light outlet-side surface. Micro-optical elements are arranged as optical elements in a sub-area of the light inlet-side surface or the light outlet-side surface, wherein these optical elements deflect a part of the light beam emitted by the light source into an area above a light-dark boundary of the light distribution pattern in order to detect traffic signs placed high off the ground (overhead signs). Because the micro-optical elements have relatively small dimensions and extend uniformly over the relatively large sub-area of the light inlet-side surface or the light outlet-side surface, the micro-optical elements cannot be detected from the outside by an observer. One disadvantage in the known headlamp, however, is that the manufacturing costs to produce uniform micro-optical structures are relatively large.